Iberia Parish educator Audrey Ausberry, left, smiles at a retirement parade honoring her 63-year education career on June 30, 2020. (WAFB) - Sharon Lewis, LSUs associate athletic director of football recruiting, has filed a $50 million lawsuit against her current employer alleging years of harassment for attempting to report sexual misconduct allegations during her tenure at LSU. At worst, they put women directly in harms way by failing to share sexual misconduct and violence allegations with the universitys Title IX Office. Former LSU linebacker Verge Ausberry, who started for the Tigers on SEC championship teams in 1986 and '88 and twice led the team in tackles, is 0-for-2, as far as his sons going to LSU. Yeah, youre an [Amateur Athletic Union] coach too, right Cleave? The committee hereby requests that the university reconsider the punishment meted out and take action to terminate the employees it holds responsible for mishandling the reports of sexual abuse and to continue to identify and properly discipline any other culpable individual.. THE BACKSTORY: How USA TODAY's reporting on LSU failures led to turnover, calls for change. The employees didnt understand what their obligation was., He said he felt conflicted about his decision, but that he felt an equal obligation to be fair to everyone involved.. LSU hired Husch Blackwell following a USA TODAY investigation that found officials in the schools athletic department and broader administration repeatedly ignored complaints against abusers, denied victims requests for protections and subjected them to further harm by known perpetrators. Loreauville Funeral services will be held at Mt. God beckoned Verge from labor to reward on Thursday, November 10, 2022 at his residence. Accepting New Patients. In another incident, Miles went to her office and told Lewis her recruiting staff had too many fat girls, Black girls, and ugly girls, and they look like a bowling team, Lewis told USA TODAY. Verge Ausberry and Miriam Segar, longtime and high-ranking athletic department administrators with extensive, documented histories of skirting the school's sexual misconduct policies by keeping. It wasnt always a love fest, Henderson joked, but even their disagreements were rooted in mutual respect and admiration. Oh, and their father is former LSU inside linebacker Verge Ausberry. Walchli, who died at his Hermiston home on Friday at the age of 80, started farming watermelons after taking out a bank loan to start his own farm at the age of 17. Ausberry also remains committed and involved in an array of personal and professional development programs. Verge Samuel Ausberry, Sr. was born on October 22, 1930 in Mangham, Louisiana, the seventh child of the late Richard and Ada McMillian-Ausberry. Ausberry is mentioned 72 times in the 148-page document, Segar 194. Ausberry, whose older brother Austin is a freshman defensive back at Auburn, was a Class 3A All-State selection last season and ranked among the top linebackers in the country. Because of this omission, the firm wrote, when Guice was accused of subsequent misconduct by other students, this initial report was not considered or revisited., Interim LSU president Thomas Galligan defended his decisions on Ausberry and Segar, saying the two were put in positions that were impossible for them. Ausberry denied these accounts, saying his relationship with Lewis was one of brother-sister and lovehate., He told Husch Blackwell that Segar simply instructed him to just leave [Sharon] alone.. As the middle linebacker on the football team, Ausberry was a four-year letterwinner and leading tackler on defense for two years. Pellerin Funeral Home, 502 Jefferson Terrace Blvd., New Iberia, LA 70560 (337-365-3331). It did nothing. But, I agree with you. LSU spokesman Jim Sabourin declined to answer whether an investigation had ever occurred but said that neither was found responsible. He is highly recognized inside and outside of collegiate athletics, serving on many boards and committees, both locally and nationally. Lewis attorneys claim a memorandum written by LSUs law firm, Taylor Porter, on May 15, 2013, documents LSU and Porter entering into a conspiracy to cover up former head football coach Miles alleged sexual harassment and Title IX investigations in violation of Federal and State Civil Rico Statutes. Brand Guidelines Independent investigation finds that LSU routinely mishandled allegations of sexual misconduct, Heads should roll: LSU students want school to fire those implicated by investigative report, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Lewis told USA TODAY she has wanted to quit but she is motivated to stay because she loves LSU, the university she attended as a student-athlete. 1:25 - First reference to the value of Guice and other Tiger players to the program. Iberia Parish educator Audrey Ausberry, center, smiles at a retirement parade honoring her 63-year education career on June 30, 2020. They told me they felt handicapped. LSU Interim President Tom Galligan suspended Ausberry in March for 30 days without pay. Ausberry has overseen significant achievements in the classroom, and on the playing fields. He was a die-hard sports enthusiast, as evident in the lives of both his son and grandsons. Review the full audio of the call in the clip above. New Iberia, Audrey Ausberry, left, with Grambling State University President Rick Gallot after Gallot presented her with a lifelong service plaque celebrating her 63-year career in education in March. The dad is the deputy AD, and it would be odd if his son went elsewhere. But Ausberry never reported the incident to the Title IX office or police. Husch Blackwell said it could find no record of this students concern being investigated in a manner consistent with then-University policy and that there also were no records or other evidence of the student being provided with notice of her rights and options in response to the complaint, or perhaps more importantly, any supportive resources., Lewis told the Husch Blackwell investigators that Segar recommended the student be moved out of the building and that she could no longer work in football., Segar told investigators that the student had already addressed it directly with the coach and communicated to Segar that she did not want to do anything about it.. But when Ausberry called Davis, the wide receiver said he had not hit his girlfriend and Ausberry failed to report the matter. Following the press conference by her counsel, we believe that this lawsuit is an attempt to take advantage of the situation for personal benefit. To plant trees in memory, please visit the. Our Views: LSU board fumbles Verge Ausberry scandal with stadium suites penalty box. But the people-the people didnt do right, and didnt do what they were supposed to do in terms of protecting who we are as people, Lewis told the newspaper. His desire to further his education led him to obtain a Masters Degree from the University of Oklahoma (Norman, OK), and a Specialist Degree from the University of Southwest Louisiana (now ULL) in Administration and Supervision. I immediately called her back and I never heard from her again, Richardson told USA Today in December. . After relocating to South Louisiana, he joined Mt. Do we stand up or do we sit? We believe the University should consider appropriate discipline for Ausberry, Husch Blackwell wrote in a footnote to one case, saying his inaction could have led to catastrophic consequences.. Ausberry starred at linebacker for the Tigers from 1986-89, playing on a pair of SEC championship teams. Garrett was nervous and wanted, beyond just surviving, to be the best teacher she could. Others called it a direct insult.. I knew I could do something to make other children see, she said. A congratulatory retirement sign celebrating 85-year-old Audrey Ausberry, who retired from the Iberia Parish School System on June 30 after 63 years in education. We have a lot of friends that we know at Nike, said Ausberry But let me tell you this here though. Goria is Gloria Scott, 74, who says Guice made crude sexual comments to her and grabbed his private parts at the Louisiana Superdome during an event in 2017. Teach that there is hope, that we never give up hope. 502 Jefferson Terrace, After relocating to South Louisiana, he joined Mt. Members of the LSU Board of Supervisors, LSU Athletic Department, LSU Leadership and their law firm, Taylor Porter entered into a conspiracy to hide Les Miles sexual harassment investigation from federal officials and the public and to retaliate against Ms. Lewis. After LSUs Verge Ausberry failed to report a football player who admitted hitting his girlfriend, the schools acting president sent him off for a monthlong timeout. Its not blackmail. Ausberry also told the investigator that when a female student came to him because she had been abused by football player Drake Davis, he told her he didnt want to hear anymore and to talk instead to Segar, who acknowledged never returning the students call. Scottie and Markham, I just want to give my sympathy to the family he was a very good man he was a principal when I went to school and a good principal that would be deadly missed by a lot of people not this by people in the school system but people in the community and Iberia he was a well-known person and a very good man I'm giving my sympathy to the family God bless. This was in violation of the Athletics and Football Operations Policies and Procedures in place at the time barring employees from hiring student workers for personal jobs, Husch Blackwell found. The suspension cost. Visitation will be at Pellerin Funeral Home in New Iberia from 8:00am until 10:00am on Tuesday. He is presently a doctoral candidate in higher education administration. Ausberry, LSUs executive deputy athletic director, was accused of mishandling allegations of domestic abuse against an LSU football player. Loreauville Funeral services will be held at Mt. Davis texted Ausberry on April 14, 2018, and admitted that he had punched Lewis in the stomach, according to police records. Henderson first worked for Ausberrys husband, former principal Verge Ausberry Sr., as an English teacher before eventually moving to work alongside Ausberry at the district level. Both will be back at their jobs by early next month. By then, Lewis had been assaulted several more times, she told police and USA TODAY. Finally, and most important to me personally, Id like to thank Verge Ausberry and Stephanie Rempe from my administration for their tireless work in helping us land the most accomplished football coach this program has ever hired," said Woodward. His record was 92-39 in 12 seasons with the Fighting Irish. It is effective immediately.. This student alleged Miles tried to kiss her. Legislators started holding hearings and offering bills to toughen standards. His career as an educator spanned 40 years of dedicated service, including classroom teacher in the Lafayette Parish School System, as well as various capacities in Iberia Parish School System, journeying through Weeks Island and Loreauville, and climaxing as Principal of New Iberia Freshman High School (the current Westgate High School). Audio with timestamps here, LSU WR Malik Nabers arrested in New Orleans; prosecutors refuse to charge with condition, TikTok sets new default time limits for minors, Suspect in car chase jumps off Jackson Street Bridge in Thibodaux; dies, authorities say, St. Tammany libraries to red flag certain graphic novels. Listen to the voicemails in the video below. The Husch Blackwell Report (the Husch Report) documented how LSU orchestrated a retaliation against Ms Lewis, including the mental breakdown and ongoing mental trauma she suffered as a result. Entombment will follow at Beau Pre Cemetery in Jeanerette. But Ausberry never reported the incident to the Title IX office or. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. The attorneys representing Lewis held a news conference about the lawsuit around 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 7 outside of the 19th Judicial District Court in downtown Baton Rouge. Early in her career, she earned a masters from the University of Oklahoma during her summer vacations and went on to complete her 30-plus graduate hours. Per the Husch Blackwell report, Ausberry did not follow Title IX reporting requirements with an incident involving former wide receiver Drake Davis. Whether an investigation had ever occurred but said that neither was found responsible jobs by early next month Husch report... 2023 USA TODAY Richardson told USA TODAY 's reporting on LSU failures led to turnover, calls for.! The 148-page document, Segar 194 joined Mt and offering bills to toughen.. 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